Understanding the DNA of craft beers

The main ingredients used in beer making include barley, hops, yeast, and water. Barley is the primary source of sugars and yeast is used to ferment sugars from the barley. Hops refer to special herbs that used to introduce a bitter and burning taste in a beer.

Different beer makers use various combinations of these ingredients which results in beers with different flavors and colors. The components used in beer making also determine the amount of head (foam) in a beer. Besides the four main ingredients, some beers may have other ingredients that are popularly known as adjuncts.

Styles of beer

Almost every beer enthusiast might have heard of the terms “lager” and “ale.” In the United States, the lager is popularly known as the king (Facebook). Lager beers are produced through the bottom fermentation process. The yeast used to ferment the beer sinks to the bottom of the fermentation tank. The fermentation process results in a pale gold beer that is crisper and has a cleaner flavor.

Ale beers, on the other hand, are produced by the top fermentation process. The yeast used in fermentation floats on the top of the fermentation tank. These beers usually have stronger flavors, and they are darker when compared to lager beers.

The two beer styles are just general categories used to classify beers. The number of beer styles available throughout the world is as infinite as the creativity of a brewmaster. As you tour around the world, you will realize that there are many other styles beer besides the larger and ales.

About Eli Gershkovitch

Eli Gershkovitch is the CEO of Steamworks, a company he established in 1995. To most people, Eli seems to lack the haughty persona that is characteristic to many leaders of the giant companies in the world. Instead, Eli Gershkovitch approaches life differently. He likes keeping it casual and admires freedom. His desire to control his destiny may have driven him to build a brewing empire.

Steamworks started as a small pub in Gastown, Vancouver. The pub was situated in a historic building that hosted a big secret. The building had a unique steam system that Eli Gershkovitch later came to use for his brewery.